TicketsBearcat Rally Falls Short vs. Tigers
UC in must sweep situation vs. Bulls
Contact: Shawn Sell
5/15/2005
Logan Parker had three more hits on Sunday vs. Memphis. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Cincinnati fell behind by an early 7-0 score and despite a valiant comeback came up just short as Memphis escaped town with an 8-7 win over the Bearcats in Conference USA baseball action on Sunday afternoon. The defeat sets up a scenario in which the Bearcats must win all three games at USF next weekend in order to earn a berth in the C-USA Tournament presented by POWERade.
Memphis scored three runs in each of the first and third innings, then tacked on a key eighth run in the seventh inning, giving the Bearcats a deficit they couldn?t overcome. The Tigers improve to 12-39 overall and 5-22 in conference play. The Bearcats are 24-27, 10-16 C-USA.
Logan Parker capped off a huge weekend with a three-hit day, including his team-leading 19th double of the year. Brian Beltz added a pair of hits, while Jim Olds had two RBI. Memphis got three hits each from K.K. Chalmers and Adam Amar with the latter also knocking in three runs.
Memphis got to UC starting pitcher Justin Minges early and often, touching the senior for five runs in just two-plus innings of work. He drops to 1-6 on the year with the defeat. Chris Davis, making his first career start for the Tigers, stymied the Bearcat bats for 5.2 innings, allowing only four hits, but walking five. He is now 1-1 on the year with the victory. Drew Jaudon worked the final 2.2 innings, holding the Bearcats without a run to notch his second save.
The day got off to a rough start for Minges who allowed two singles and a walk to the first three hitters. UC appeared to get out of serious harm when Amar bounced into a double play, despite one run scoring on the play. But Cory Barton lifted a fly ball to right that Beltz misplayed for an error, allowing a second run to score and Barton to go to third. When Minges uncorked a wild pitch, Barton trotted home and it was suddenly a 3-0 ballgame.
Memphis continued to pile on the runs in the third, batting around and chasing both Minges and reliever Matt Heber. The former yielded back-to-back singles to start the inning and Heber was brought on to face Amar. Memphis? slugging first baseman came up big, driving a double into the right center field gap to plate two runs. After Heber got an out, he hit the next batter than allowed an RBI double to Brent Moss to spell the end of his day. Kyle Markle was next on the hill and he quickly ended the threat.
The Tigers went up by seven in the fourth as Amar drilled an RBI single to center, scoring Chalmers.
The Bearcats could get nothing going against Davis, as the junior retired the first eight in a row, before Beltz singled with two-out in the third. UC finally got on the board in the fifth, getting a single run without the benefit of a hit. Two walks and a throwing error on Chalmers led to an RBI groundout by Beltz for the Bearcats? first run.
Business picked up for the Bearcats in the sixth, as they closed to within three with a three-run outburst. Olds got the scoring started with an RBI fielder?s choice, just prior to Jack Nelson?s run-scoring groundout. With two outs, Erik Eitel banged a double off the left field wall to score Olds and end the day for Davis.
Memphis tacked on a key eighth run in the top of the seventh as Amar led off with a double, moved to third on Barton?s single and ultimately came home on a base hit by John Peterson.
The Bearcats kept swinging it in the last of the seventh closing to within 8-7 with a three-run rally. LaFringe Hayes led off with a walk and scored on Mark Muscenti?s RBI double. After Chris South got one out, Parker smacked a double down the right field line to score Muscenti. Jaudon then came on and struck out DeLuca, but Olds came through in the clutch with a double to right center to pull UC within in. Jaudon then retired Nelson to end the inning.
UC had a great chance in the eighth to tie or go ahead as Beltz and Hayes reached on one out singles. Memphis? shortstop Jordan Tolliver made a clutch play however, taking a hard ground ball that appeared destined for a single up the middle away from Muscenti and turning it into an inning-ending double play.
As stated, the Bearcats must sweep their last C-USA series ever next weekend at USF. In anticipation of the conference tournament which begins on Wednesday, May 25, the UC-USF series will kick off on Thursday, May 19. First, though UC will close out the home schedule with a non-conference date with Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday night. First pitch on Fan Appreciation Night is set for 6:30 p.m.